Coated layers which constitute a silver halide light-sensitive material contain, in numerous cases, gelatin as a binder. The gelatin is cross-linked with a substance called a hardener for the purpose of heightening the mechanical and chemical strengths of the coated layers.
Various kinds of compounds are used as such hardeners including hardeners having a vinylsulfonyl group as described in German Published Application No. 1,100,942; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,490,911 and 3,539,644; Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 74832/73, 24435/74 and 41221/89; etc., which have been considered best suitable for using as a rapid hardener. (The term "OPI" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application.)
However, compared with prevailingly used hardeners of the active chloro group-containing triazine type, the above-described hardeners containing a vinylsulfonyl group suffer from the defect that deterioration of the stability of the resulting products is caused upon long-range storage, and an increase in the fog density and a lowering of the sensitivity are brought about in those products when kept under high temperature and/or high humidity.